SALEM — Renovation work has begun to make the old Depot train station weathertight by winter, town officials said.
Workers began cleaning out the interior of the building and replacing neglected structural beams last week, according to Henry LaBranche, who is coordinating renovations for the Historic District Commission.
Once the beams are replaced, work will begin on replacing the roof, then work will shift to the windows and doors, LaBranche said. Some reconstruction has begun on the outside of the building in preparation for replacing the roof.
The work is the first to be done on the building since asbestos was removed last year, LaBranche said. An addition to the building that had been added by a former tenant was demolished in December.
Once renovations are completed, the 1,000-square-foot building will be used as a welcome center for visitors using the rail trail, according to selectmen Chairman Elizabeth Roth, who is co-chairman of the Depot Reconstruction Committee. The building, on Main Street next to DeVito's restaurant, has been unoccupied for two years, but had been neglected for decades, LaBranche said.
There were some discussions about moving the building to a different location early on in the development process, but the decision was made to keep it in the same location, he said.
The project has an estimated cost of $210,000. So far, about $50,000 has been raised, including a $30,000 donation from Pentucket Bank, LaBranche said. The project is within budget so far, and LaBranche said he expected it to stay within the projected cost.
Enough money has been raised to make the building weathertight for the winter, but more funds will be needed for the renovations to continue beyond that, LaBranche said. The group will send out letters next week in search of donations, he said.
